Illumination systems for fiber optic cables are well known in the art. Typical illumination systems can be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,733,481 to Kuyt on May 15, 1973; U.S. Pat. No. 3,775,606 to Bazellet al. on Nov. 27, 1973; U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,606 to Robbins on Nov. 3, 1987. In such devices, a light source is usually aligned with the end of at least one fiber optic cable to be illuminated. Further, such devices typically employ a combination of methods to reduce the heat component of the light entering the end of the fiber optic cable, as excess heat can cause damage to the fiber optic cable and other components of the device. For example, various heat shields, hot mirrors, and cooling elements, such as fans, have been known to be positioned within and around the light beam to reduce the amount of heat introduced to the end of the cable and within the device in general.
To date, however, no effective method has been found to significantly reduce the heat component of the light beam without using relatively expensive cooling apparati, such as a fans. Moreover, such prior-known devices typically allow a large fraction of the total light output from the light source to escape capture by the fiber optic cable. Those prior-known devices that, through use of lenses, focus the light beam into the fiber optic cable are generally restricted to one size of fiber optic cable. Moreover, precise positioning of the fiber optic cable within the support means of such devices is extremely critical and, as a result, often is not achieved adequately. As a result, prior-known devices are often inefficient at capturing as much of the light as might otherwise be possible.
Clearly there is a need for fiber optic illumination apparatus that minimizes the amount of internal heat retained within the apparatus inexpensively. Such a needed device would further be extremely compact in size, taking advantage of focused light both to filter the light and to more efficiently and completely direct the light into the fiber optic cable. Moreover, such a needed device would be designed to accept a wide variety of fiber optic cable sizes or bundle sizes. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.